Create Multiples of the Same Frame or Shape?

When you’re creating a frame or shape, you can quickly and easily create multiples of it. As you’re dragging out a frame or shape in your document, press the right arrow key to add copies of it horizontally (they’ll look a little strange at first—we’ll come to that in a moment). If you add too many, press the left arrow key to remove them. Now press the up arrow key to add a new line of identical shapes vertically, with the same quantity as the first horizontal line. Press the down arrow key to remove shapes. Do not release the mouse until you are happy with the quantity and layout of the shapes. If you want the shapes to be proportional, just press-and-hold the Shift key and release the mouse, and all of the shapes will appear in an equally aligned grid. You can do the same with images.

TIP: CREATING MULTIPLE POLYGONS

If you’re working with polygons, start by setting the shape according to your needs. Select the Polygon Tool and click once on the document to open the Polygon dialog. Enter the number of sides you need, then click OK. Once the shape is on the page, delete it. What you’ve just done is set the default for the Polygon Tool. Now when you drag out your shape, it will take the form of the last created polygon. Here’s an even freakier tip: when you are dragging out a polygon and have already started to create multiples, without releasing the mouse, give the space bar a quick tap. Now the up and down arrows increase and decrease the number of sides on the polygon, and the left and right arrows adjust the inset values of a shape like a star.